


love's such a delicate thing that we do, with nothing to prove

by roguerey



Series: it takes time (but we're getting there) [3]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Fix-It, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Post-Movie: Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), newt geiszler recovery arc 2k18
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 19:51:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14385930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguerey/pseuds/roguerey
Summary: just fluff and the happiness they deserve





	love's such a delicate thing that we do, with nothing to prove

It is technically morning but still pitch black outside. Newt is sitting up in bed, staring unfocused in the general direction of the wall and wishing he was asleep. He’s exhausted, but his thoughts were so loud they must have woken him. This doesn’t happen nearly as often anymore as it did months ago, when it was a nightly occurrence, but it happens enough that when Hermann awakes to see Newt’s upright silhouette painted in the blues and blacks of the early morning shadows, it’s not a surprise to him. 

Speaking of which, Newt feels a shift of weight beside him on the mattress and knows that Hermann must have woken as well. He hasn’t made any noise, but nonetheless, Hermann seems to have a sixth sense for knowing when Newt is awake with his thoughts, which Newt reasons is probably some lingering product of their drift connection. Newt feels a steady hand on his shoulder and he turns his head to meet Hermann’s touch.

“Newton, is everything alright?” Hermann asks, sounding equal parts groggy and concerned.

“Yeah Herms, everything’s fine, go back to sleep.”

Hermann reaches around to put both of his hands on Newt’s shoulders and turn him so that they are facing. He reaches between them and takes both of Newt’s hands in his own. 

“Clearly something is troubling you and keeping you awake. What were you thinking about?” Hermann gently asks.

Newt closes his eyes for a moment and lets himself get lost in the grounding sensation of Hermann rubbing the backs of his hands before answering.

“Well it’s just that...I know that things are ok now, and I’m happy about that—obviously—but I can’t stop thinking about those ten years that they took that we’re never gonna get back.”

“I know, Newton. I’m sorry.” Hermann says softly as he continues to stroke his hands.

“ _ You’re _ sorry? I’m the one who acted like a total dick to you for a decade. And even though that was their fault, it doesn’t change the end result, which is that I caused you to go ten years thinking that I didn’t care about you. That I pushed you away and hurt you and made you think I didn’t love you.”

“Newton-”

“And like, that’s ten years we could have spent together. Those should have been the best years of our lives. We could have gotten a place together sooner and think of all the nights we could have spent together and now all that time is just gone. Think of all the things we could have done in all those years like we could have made so many memories and instead I was planning ways to end the world and you were alone and sad for so long and now we’re starting everything ten years later than we should have and-”

“Newton, will you marry me?”

 

Newt cuts himself off mid-sentence when he realizes what Hermann has just said.

 

Hermann continues on without a pause.

“I know we’ve lost time but I want to spend whatever’s left of it by your side. I want to spend every day for the rest of my life making up for those years we were apart. Think of how many second chances we’ve been given. The PPDC brought us together again after our first disastrous meeting. The world could have ended and we both could have died, but it didn’t. The Precursors could have kept you away from me forever, but now I have you back. All of this time we’re living on has been borrowed since the breach first opened, so I’m just grateful for each minute I have with you. I’ve never been one to buy into such things before, but even I must admit how truly  _ lucky _ I am that we have both survived all that we have and are now safe and together. And I plan to spend the rest of whatever time I have in blissful domesticity with you, if you’ll have me. I know in the past you’ve said you don’t put too much faith in marriage as an institution, but if you want to give it a go, I promise not to bugger it up. So what do you say?”

 

“Hermann…” Newt says breathlessly, “I...yes... _ of course.  _ Oh my god  _ of course I’ll marry you.”  _

He leans forward and wipes his eyes on the collar of Hermann’s dressing robe, and the motion quickly turns into an embrace. Newt pulls back so he can kiss Hermann fiercely, and Hermann parts his lips and allows the kiss to deepen. Newt can feel his smile pressing up against Hermann’s own and he laughs into their kiss, deliriously happy. 

“Wait a moment” Hermann says, suddenly breaking off the kiss, “I have something.”

Newt frowns at the abrupt distance as Hermann gets up off the bed and stumbles over to the dresser, rifling through for something in his top drawer. Newt watches as he returns to sit back on the bed, and through the darkness Newt can make out what appears to be the shape of a small ring box.

“I’ve had this for awhile now. I actually purchased it a week after you were free of the Precursors’ grasp.” Hermann says in rushed explanation “I was just waiting for the right moment.”

Newt says nothing, just watches in awe as Hermann removes a platinum ring from the box. Hermann gives Newt a questioning look and Newt shakily nods and then Hermann is holding his hand and slipping the ring onto his finger and then they’re hugging again and Newt’s pretty sure he’s crying but he’s also pretty sure Hermann is too so he just buries his face closer into Hermann’s chest and holds him tight.

 

“Speaking of making up for lost time, how does spending the day in bed sound?” Hermann whispers into Newt’s ear.

“I thought you had to go in to work in a few hours.” Newt replies.

“I believe after twenty years of service to the PPDC, I am entitled to a day off with my future husband.”

Newt grins and pulls Hermann back into the sheets with him.

**Author's Note:**

> title from simple song by the shins. Find me on tumblr @newtbiszler


End file.
